How Myspace Changed My Life

I've been into social media for as long as I can remember. As soon as I heard about this thing called Myspace (aged 13/14) that was it. I was obsessed. I might have dabbled in Bebo initially but nothing could compare to my beloved Myspace and although it's no longer popular, I owe an awful lot to the the site. It gave me skills that I still use in my career today, a platform to express myself, best friends and even a boyfriend. Just be prepared for some very cringy photos... I feel embarrassed already. 

   

Helping my career:

My family would be able to tell you that as soon as I got home from school and long into the night I would spend hours updating my page, making sure it looked perfect. Working with html code (something that has been extremely helpful throughout my career & blog), to make sure sections were different colours,  embedding photos (shout out to photobucket), cleverly hiding info boxes and adding little hearts so they would fall down the page. I'd spend my weekend with friends setting up creative photo shoots to make sure we had an album full of photos to upload that weekend, and of course getting that perfect profile photo. Not too similar from blogging now. It taught me how to network, at a very basic level - PC 4 PC or L 4 L anyone? I also decided at some point that my photos needed to up their game, so I experimented with Photoshop to give them a different look, I'd make them black and white, badly Photoshop myself and add text. I was completely self taught but within a year I had a pretty good idea with how to use it. Over ten years later, I use photoshop every day, and I know that if it wasn't for Myspace I wouldn't be as good with it as I am now. 

 

Friends:

I made friends on Myspace from all over the UK, some friendships lasted a few months, some stayed online and some friendships became so strong that they're now my best friends and I'm soon to become a bridesmaid to one of them. Although it seemed a little strange at the time, I'd meet up with people I'd spoken to for months online and chat to them about things my 'normal' friends didn't know about or understand. I'd visit Kent, Slough and Kingston to meet up with people completely on my own, it gave me a sense of independence. Although pretty normal now, ten or so years ago it was very unusual, I wouldn't even tell my parents where I was going. Writing this has made me realise how dangerous and crazy it was, but I was worried my friends and family would think it was weird or they wouldn't get it. However I was eventually caught out, and I think it's the angriest I've ever seen my dad, but in my eyes it was totally worth it. It was an amazing platform to get to know people. 

Culture:

There was a certain 'scene' culture that came along with Myspace from everyone dressing like Audrey Kitching, Hana Beth, Kiki Kannibal and Jeffree Star (before he was a MUA and YouTube sensation). To discovering some of my favourite bands (at the time) on the site including Enter Shikari,  Bring me the Horizon, Hadouken! and You Me At Six, it was the best feeling when you found a band that your friends hadn't. The New Rave music scene sort of exploded on the site too, thanks to the help of Klaxons, Crystal Castles and everyone being obsessed with Skins. I spent hours dreaming of having hair just like Kiki Kannibal, and shopping in H&M kids, to make sure I had the perfect jewellery to match with my skinny jeans, Spiderman back pack and American Apparel hoody. I think the scene kids on Myspace are the reason where my desire to have bleach blonde hair comes from, maybe one day I'll do it. As you may notice I don't dress like that anymore (thank goodness) but it certainly helped me to identify with something growing up and taught me to be accepting of all social 'scenes'. P.S Who had Uffie - Pop The Glock as their Myspace song? 

Music Myspace shoutouts: Patrick Wolf, Uffie, Partyshank, Dev Hynes, The Ghost Frequency and New Young Pony Club, CSS, Does It Offend You, Yeah? and Robots in Disguise. 

So there it is, a little ode to Myspace, I deleted my page when I was 18-19 as I was so embarrassed of everything up there but now I wish I'd kept it. I did manage to find these photos scattered across the internet, so I guess that's something. Feeling a little nostalgic? Read this Buzzfeed article for the ultimate throwback.